RYLA Academy

Would you and your Rotary club like to impact the lives of high school students in your community? You can do just that by sponsoring students to attend the Missouri RYLA Academy.

The Missouri RYLA Academy (MO RYLA) is a four-day/three-night service leadership program that introduces Rotary’s “Service Above Self” philosophy. The curriculum, developed and administered by professional educators, includes a personality self-assessment, team building activities, and a two-day service project simulation. Our program is recognized by Rotary International as one of the model RYLA programs in the world, most recently as the only break out session at the 2019 RI Convention in Hamburg, Germany.

MO RYLA has been implemented in Missouri for over 25 years, with over 2,000 students having participated. Missouri Rotary Districts 6040, 6060, and 6080 partner to support this premier academy. The staff is comprised of professional high school guidance counselors, educators and outstanding Rotarians from around the state. The program is held each summer in Fulton, Missouri on the William Woods University campus.

In 2020, two academy sessions of MO RYLA are available:

Session 1: Sunday, June 28th thru Wednesday, July 1st

or

Session 2: Sunday, July 12th thru Wednesday, July 15th

Rotary clubs have the opportunity to promote the academy and sponsor their local high school students to attend. There is not a cap or limit on the number of participants a club can sponsor. Students are allowed to select their own preferred academy session, with each session maxed at 100 participants. The registration fee is $450.00 per student.

The program is designed for incoming high school sophomores and juniors. There is no GPA requirement and family members of Rotarians, such as children or grandchildren, are eligible to attend.

We strongly recommend that you do not delay selecting and registering students. Many families make their summer plans months in advance and we find that is the primary reason why selected students have to decline the opportunity to participate.

Due to the success of the program, spaces fill quickly. The official registration date for the 2020 sessions goes live on the www.missouriryla.com website November 1st, 2019. Many clubs choose to select, register and pay for their students before the holidays.

The most common question from clubs is how do we find and select students to attend? Many clubs work their local high school guidance counselors to find the right kind of students. What does that mean? We are looking for students who have a heart for service.

It is important to take note of the following deadlines:

November 1st, 2019: Registration opens for rotary clubs to sign up students

April 30th, 2020: Registration closes

May 15th, 2020: $400 registration refund deadline

May 16th-June 10th, 2020: If your club has a student withdraw, you can replace them with a student of the same gender